Property Brother Jonathan Scott and actress Zooey Deschanel have spent recent years renovating their Georgian revival in Brentwood, Los Angeles – creating a home that pays homage to its 1930s' roots.
Built in 1938 by celebrated architect Gerard Colcord, it's 'traditional sensibility' is what originally drew Jonathan and Zooey – and they have done everything they can to honor those roots – starting with their wallpaper choices.
'It's true, Zooey Deschanel and I are obsessed with wallpaper,' Jonathan declared before sharing four papered spaces via Instagram. All of the spaces are unapologetically maximalist – celebrating the ever-popular chintz design trend that people often either love or hate.
'We’re not really modern people. We like that traditional aesthetic, and we wanted it so that when you walked into this house, everything looked like it could be from 1938,' Jonathan explains. And their maximalist walls are a provocative starting point.
The first image, their breakfast nook, is dressed with Clementine Sprigs-Silver Sage wallpaper – a citrus-based pattern, also seen in fabric form on the couple's chairs. It beautifully complements the window's dark wooden features while achieving the vintage aesthetic the couple so desires. We're shopping for the exact print from Spoonflower below.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, this wallpaper trend continues. Jonathan and Zooey opted for an equally statement-making paper – this time in the San Pedro print (also available here).
Like all maximalist decor, this wallpaper is not for the faint-hearted, and some Instagram followers are inevitably split on the couple's decorating decisions.
However, design experts agree that Jonathan Scott and Zooey are not only right on trend, but creating a decor scheme that will last.
'Since the pandemic, there's been a shift towards homey, nostalgic prints that honor classics from heritage brands such as William Morris and Colefax & Fowler,' says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief, Homes & Gardens. 'And they've cleverly picked up that bold trim and millwork creates a strong backdrop and partner for these wallpaper designs.'
'I have always been drawn to maximalist florals, but in the last couple of years, the “grandmillennial” trend has really helped bring them back to the forefront,' says Massachusetts-based designer Allison Mattison.
The 'grandmillennial' aesthetic is based on classic, often maximalist designs that are welcoming but eclectic – and rooted in tradition. And chintz wallpaper is among the finest examples of this.
'Suddenly, the younger generation is embracing the looks of classic designers like Mario Buatta and Dorothy Draper. The style of maximalist florals (such as the Greenbriar) and the chintz floral sofas that remind us of our grandparents' impeccably decorated homes are back,' Allison comments.
'People are looking to nostalgic patterns and decor for inspiration now driven by this growing "grandma chic" or "grandmillenial" trend.'
Interior designer Erin Fearins, from New York-based Studio SFW, agrees. She, too, praises this trend – suggesting that it adds more interest and personality than a conventional neutral wall.
'Maximalist floral wallpaper can even be a backdrop to layer beloved objects upon in a manner that feels more lived in, casual, and collected over time. This contrasts the feeling of art preserved in a museum-like atmosphere on stark white walls.'
In a house like Jonathan and Zooey's, it's certainly hard to disagree.
